Fluid and vehicle propelling device



F. E. PARSONS 3,249,058

FLUID AND VEHICLE PROPELLING DEVICE 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 May 3, 1966 Filed Sept. 30, 1964 f'ej 3172173477? BY g; I 49 I l 17 WWI/sf May 3,1966 F. E. PARSONS 3,249,058

INVENTOR. 73227 Z, 747110776.

May 3, 1966 F- E. PARSONS 3,249,958

FLUID AND VEHICLE PROPELLING DEVICE Filed Sept. 30, 1964 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 nyvENToR. 731 47 Z. 72725671.?

May 3, 1966 F. E. PARSONS FLUID AND VEHICLE PROPE'LLING DEVICE Filed Sept. 30, 1964 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 \s 3% INVENTOR.

United States Patent 3,249,058 FLUID AND VEHICLE PROPELLING DEVICE Fred E. Parsons, 1656 Keller Lane, Bloomfield Hilis, Mich. Filed Sept. 30, 1964, Ser. No. 403,434 7 Claims. (Cl. 193-38) This invention relates to fluid and vehicle propelling devices and particularly to a device for propelling a vehicle through water, and is a continuation in part of the invention covered in the application Serial No. 130,277, filed August 9, 1961, for Fluid and Vehicle Propelling Device now abandoned.

The device of the present invention embodies a housing having a central supporting section and forward and rearward converging housing sections having on the reduced outer ends the intake and outlet openings respectively. The central supporting section has a boss for supporting the driving means which may be a motor, engine or bearings for the rear end of a driving shaft for the rotor mounted within the forward housing section. The shaft is further supported by an outboard bearing on an intake head having a wide mouth in extension of the intake opening of the forward housing section. A stator is provided rearwardly of the central supporting section which directs the fluid passing thereover in straight paths toward the outlet opening. The truncated housing and the truncated rotor are so related that the annulus formed thereabout is of equal capacity from the intake end to the central supporting section. Radially disposed vanes which may have curved intake ends are provided on the rotor for centrifugally forcing the intake water outwardly against a forward converging wall which produces a rearward movement thereto.

An annnular passageway is provided through the central supporting section having straightening vanes therein. The annular passageway is progressively reduced from the front to the rear to increase the velocity of the water passing therethrough. The water or other fluid is expelled over the stationary stator or rotor containing radially disposed vanes which directs the fluid in a straight path toward the outlet opening. The annular passageway about the stator is of uniform area from the central supporting section to the end thereof so as to maintain a constant velocity to the water or fluid passing thereover. The increased velocity of the fluid adds additional thrust as it is expelled through the outlet opening to advance the device and therefore the vehicle to which it is attached at a substantial speed through the water. The radially disposed vanes on the forward rotor may extend into a groove in the central supporting section to deliver the propelled fluid directly to the straightening vanes in the passageway therethrough. The rotor shaft may be driven by a shaft in extension of or at an angle to the motor shaft as dictated by the location of the device and the power source.

It is within the purview of the invention to provide a reversing mechanism on the rear of the housing constructed from two sections of a dished shaped element which may be moved away from the opening through which the water is expelled or which may be moved downwardly into the direct path of the water. The water striking the dished surface will cause a reverse flow thereof and a reverse movement to the device and to the vehicle which it is propelling. A rudder may be attached to the rear of the reversing mechanism by which the device may be steered or the support for the device may be gimbaled to permit the device to be angularly displaced laterally to guide the vehicle and be directed in the vertical to obtain the greatest force or the greatest speed for propelling the vehicle through the water.

3,249,058 Patented May 3, 1966 Accordingly, the main objects of the invention are: to provide a device for propelling a vehicle through Water by the passage of water from the front to the rear passage thereof through uniform differential passageways; to provide a propelling device for a vehicle in water with an annular conical intake for the water of uniform capacity to a central supporting section containing an annular restricted passageway and straightening vanes for directing the water to an annular converging passageway; to provide a device having a rotor which is driven by a power shaft located in extension of or at an angle to the rotor shaft; to provide a pair of semi-annular plates having a dished face which are movable into the path of the expelled water from the device for reversing the flow of water and therefore of the device and the vehicle which is driven thereby, and in general, to provide a device for propelling a fluid and/or a vehicle which is simple in construction, positive in operation and economical of manufacture.

Other objects and features of novelty of the invention will be specifically pointed out or will become apparent when referring, for a better understanding of the invention, to the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a sectional view of a propelling device embodying features of the present invention;

FIG 2 is an enlarged broken sectional view of the structure illustrated in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged sectional view of the structure illustrated in FIG. 1, taken on the line 3-3 thereof;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged broken sectional view of the structure illustrated in FIG. 1, taken on the line 4-4- thereof;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged broken sectional view of the structure illustrated in FIG. 4, taken on the line 55 thereof;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged broken sectional view of a portion of the device illustrated in FIG. 1, showing a modified form thereof;

FIG. 7 is a broken view of the structure illustrated in FIG. 1 with a reversing mechanism attached thereto;

FIG. 8 is a sectional view of the structure illustrated in FIG. 7, taken on the line 88 thereof;

FIG. 9 is a view of structure, similar to that illustrated in FIG. 1, showing a further form which the invention may assume;

FIG. 10 is a broken plan view of a drive from a power takeoff from a transmission joined at right angles to a pair of devices of the present invention, and

FIG. 11 is a broken sectional view of the structure illustrated in FIG. 9, taken on the line 11-11 thereof.

Referring to FIGS. 1 to 5, the device of the present invention embodies a housing 10 which converges from the center toward the ends. The device embodies a central supporting section 11 and a forwardly converging section 12 and a rearwardly converging section 13 attached to the central section by suitable means herein illustrated by studs and nuts 9. The forward housing section 12 has an inlet opening 14 at its forward end and the rear hous-' ing section 13 has an outlet opening 15 at its rear end. A boss 16 is provided in the center of the central supporting section 11 having a pair of bearings 17 therein which supports the rear end 18 of a shaft 19. The rear end of the boss 16 is enclosed by a cap 21 to seal the internal area of the boss 16 along with the sealing element 22 at the forward end thereof.

An intake head 23 has a Wide mouth opening 24 which is joined to the intake opening 14 at the forward end of the forward housing section 12. An outboard supporting boss 25 for the shaft 19 is secured by arms 26 to the head 23, the arms being disposed in tangential relation to the boss 25. A bearing 27, of the needle or other type, sup-- ports the shaft 19 in the boss 25 in which the bearing is sealed by sealing elements 28 and 29. The arms 26 are elongated being of teardrop cross section to provide minimum resistance to the flow of water thereover.

The shaft 19 has an outer splined end 31 by which a driving element is connected to the shaft 19 and a splined intermediate section 32 which is secured to a truncated conical rotor 33 having vanes 34 radially disposed thereon. The vanes are enclosed in a truncated conical shield 35 which prevents sand, stones or other objects which may be drawn in with the intake water from engaging the inner surface of the forward converging housing section 12 and cause damage to the ends of the vanes. The forward end 36 of the vanes may be arcuately shaped for aiding in propelling the water upon entering the intake aperture 14 to the rear. The forward ends 46 of the vanes 34 taper inwardly to a shoulder 37 against which a pair of locking nuts 38 engage when securing the rotor on the shaft. A streamlined boss 39 may be secured in extension of the nuts 38 to streamline the flow of Water along the shaft. The boss 39 is secured to the shaft by a set screw 41. A conical plate 42 may be brazed, welded or otherwise secured to the rear portion of the rotor to en close the plurality of areas 43 therein which are provided for reducing the weight of the rotor.

The slope of the truncated conical rotor 33 and that of the truncated conical shield 35 are such as to provide a decreasing thickness to the annulus formed thereby which increases in diameter from the intake to the rear end of the device. This results in the annulus forming a passageway of uniform volume throughout the length thereof.

The central supporting section 11 has an annular passageway containing a plurality of straightening vanes 44 which are of such curved section from the front to the rear as to straighten the path of the centrifugally driven water as it passes therethrough. The cross-sectional area through the passageway in the central supporting element decreases from the front to the rear thereof to progressively reduce the volume thereof which increases the velocity of flow of the Water as it is expelled therefrom, as shown in FIGURE 1, the passageway cross-sectional area at the front thereat is substantially equal to the crosssectional area at the rear of the passageway formed between the conical rotor and shield 35. Also, the large end of rotor 33 is formed arcuately inwardly to provide a smooth transition between the conical portion of rotor 33 and the annular passage through the supporting section 11. This will prevent turbulence at this transitional point and will permit a smooth stand of water to flow through the device. The result will be the elimination of cavitation and a greatly increased output. This reduction in the annular passageway may start in the rear rotor area or may continue into the stator area, depending upon the length of the reduced area desired.

A truncated conical stator 45 is secured in fixed relation to the central supporting element 11 and is provided with radially disposed vanes 46 which maintain the flow of water therebetween in a path parallel to the axis of the device. The slope of the conical stator and that of the inner surface of the rearward housing section 13 is such as to have the annular passageway therebetween of the same volume at all points therealong but of less volume than that of the annular passageway about the rotor, being equal in volume to that of the rear end of the passageway through the central supporting section. This prevents any change in the velocity of the water passing therethrough before it is expelled from the stator and then through the outlet opening In view of the uniformity of the truncated conical passageways about the rotor 33 and stator 45, no turbulence or change in the velocity and pressure occurs to the water flowing therethrough and efficiency in operation thereby results. The progressive decrease in volume through the annular passageway of the central supporting section may reduce the volume from the front to the rear thereof as much as to thereby substantially increase the velocity of the water passing over the stator 45 to produce a greater thrust to the device. Also, as shown, the stator is formed arcuately inwardly at its large end to provide a smooth transitional flow of fluid from the annular passage through the supporting section 11 to the truncated passageway about stator 45.

A truncated conical shell 47 is secured over the rear housing section 13, being secured thereto by screws 48. A similar truncated conical shell is secured over the front housing section 12, being maintained in position thereover by the screws 48. Passageways 51 are provided in the forward face of the' central supporting section 11 for drawing water from the space between the truncated conical shield 35 and the inner face of the forward housing section 12 should it accumulate therein. The flow is produced by a venturi effect resulting from the passage of water thereover as it flows through the annular passageway within the central supporting section. The ends 52 of the rotor vanes 34 are sharply reduced in width to eliminate friction when the shield '35 is forced thereover.

While "the boss 16 has been illustrated and described as providing a support for the bearings 17, it is to be understood that it may be enlarged and employed to support an engine, motor or other driving device for the rotor 33. This eliminates the necessity for the shaft 19, the outboard bearing 35 and the supporting arms 26. When the rotor is driven, water will be drawn into the intake opening 14 from the wide mouth opening 24 of the head 23 and will be thrown centrifugally outward against the diverging wall of the shield 35 and will pass to the rear through the annular passageway within the central supporting section 11. The straightening vanes 44 in the passageway through the central supporting section will overcome the angular velocity imparted to the water and will straighten its path as it is directed to the rear through the passageway. The vanes 46 on the truncated conical stator 45 will maintain the path of the water parallel to the axis of the device and no turbulence will occur thereto as the movement of the water will be directly to the rear in the annular passageway having a uniform volume. The water passing over the stator will have an increased velocity due to the reduced volume of the passageway through the central supporting section to thereby substantially increase the thrust of the device as the water passes outwardly through the outlet opening 15 thereof.

In FIG. 6 a slightly modified form ofvane 52 on the rotor 33 is illustrated. In this arrangement the annular passageway through the central supporting section 11 has a groove 53 provided therein by cutting off the forward ends of the vanes. The recess receives extending ends 54 of the vanes 52 which are directly adjacent to the forward ends of the straightening vanes 44 of the central supporting section. This substantially reduces any back pressure or turbulence which could occur at this point. The choking of the passageway could begin in the rear end of the rotor passageway, as well as in the annular passageway of the central supporting section if a greater length of passageway requires choking to increase the velocity to the flow of water. Such choking could also extend into the forward portion of the passageway about the stator 45.

In FIGS. 7 and 8 a form of reversing mechanism is illustrated, that wherein the rear end 55 of the rear housing section 13 supports a housing 56 containing a pin 57 on which two halves 58 and 59 of a dish-shaped element are pivotally supported. A shaft 61, having a pair of pinions 62 thereon, operates the half elements 58 and 59 of the reversing plate. One pinion directly engages teeth 63 on the plate 59, the other drives a reversing gear 64 which engages similar teeth 63 on the element 58 of the plate. By rotating a pulley 68 on the shaft 61, the two half elements 58 and 59 are moved to inoperative position, as illustrated in FIG. 8, or to engaged operative position, as illustrated in FIG. 7, into the direct path of the water passing through the outlet opening 15. The

water striking the dished surface of the plate is directed downwardly and forwardly to move the device to the rear and reverse the movement of the vehicle driven thereby. A cable about the pulley 66 passes over a pair of pulleys and to a drum (not shown) on which the cable is wound.

The housing 56 may be provided with a pair of bosses 67 supporting a shaft 68 which has a rudder 69 attached thereto. A rudder operating arm 71 is attached to the top of the shaft and employed for positioning the rudder to steer the vehicle. It is contemplated that the steering of the device with this arrangement will be produced by the rudder but it is within the purview of the invention to mount the central supporting section 11 at a gimbal or turning device attached to the fiat face 72 thereof to permit the vessel to be guided to the right or to the left through the change of the position of the device in the horizontal plane and to produce a greater speed or increased working power by changing the angular position of the device in the vertical plane.

Referring to FIGS. 9, l0 and 11, a still further form of the invention is illustrated, that wherein the propelling device 75 includes a one piece rotor 76 which embodies a hub 77, a plurality of vanes 78 and an encompassing shield 79 as a single casting. A rotor housing 81 encompasses the rotor 76 and has a forwardly extending intake portion 82. The housing 81 is secured to a housing portion 85 of a stator 86 by screws 87. The stator has a hub 88 and vanes 89 cast as a unit with the housing portion 85. An elastomeric ring 91 seals the rotor housing 81 and is mounted on a bearing 93 supported by the hub 88, and a bearing 94 supported by an end cap 95. The bearings have angularly disposed truncated conical rollers which take the end thrust of the shaft 92 and are retained against shoulders of the shaft 92 by nuts 96 and 97 which are locked in position by a suitable lock washer 98. The shaft has an angular gear 99 of the bevel, hypoid or similar type secured thereon by a key 101 and a nut 102 and a lock washer 98. The shaft is sealed by the element 163 at the forward end of the hub 88.

A vane 16:; of the stator is enlarged at 195 to contain an aperture 106 and to have a streamlined shape over the outer surface thereof. A sh ft 107 extends through the aperture 106 and is supported by a bearing at the forward portion of the enlarged section 105. The shaft supports a gear 108 which mates with the gear 99 being secured on the end of the shaft by a key 109 and nuts 111. The outer end of the enlarged section is sealed by a suitable packing material 112. The end cap 95 forms a support for the bearing 94 after it is secured to the shaft by the nut 97. The end cap is secured to the housing 85 by screws 113. A suitable grease is supplied to the hub 88 for lubricating the gears 99 and 10S and the bearings 93, 94 and 110. The sealing elements mentioned hereabove prevents the escape of the grease during the operation of the shafts 92 and 107. The device has the intake or first passageway progressively restricted to substantially the volume of the reduced passageway through the outlet or second passageway. The device functions in the same manner as that described above with regard to the devices illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 8, with the exception of the angle drive which is desirable when one or a pair of the devices 75 are mounted at the sides of a vehicle. The angle drive is connected to a power takeoif shaft 114 from a transmission 115, which drives the wheels of the vehicle. The power takeoff shaft has a gear 116 which mates with a gear 117 for driving the shaft or shafts 107.

An opening 11% defined by an oval or circular flange 128, is provided for inspection and service. A cover 119 encloses the opening and is secured in position by screws 84, A removable plug closes an orifice 122 through the cover 119 from which a suction is obtained by the venture action occurring at the orifice 122 when fluid is passing thereover.

What is claimed is:

1. In a fluid propelling device, a separable housing having a hollow interior which expands to a substantial diameter near the center from that of aligned intake and outlet openings at the opposite ends which are disposed on the housing axis, a substantially conical rotor within the inlet end of said housing, a substantially conical stator within the outlet end of said housing, the rotor and stator defining with the housing inlet and outlet, a first and second conical passageway, respectively, the large ends of said rotor and stator facing each other on the greater interior diameter of said housing, means for fixedly supporting said stator within said housing, means for supporting said rotor for rotation within said housing, an annular passage extending substantially parallel to the housing axis, adapted to deliver fluid from said first to said second conical passageway, said annular passage decreasing in crosssectional area from its entrance to its exit end and being substantially the same cross-sectional area at its entrance as the cross-sectional area at the exit end of said first conical passageway, the cross-sectional area of said annular passage at its exit end being substantially the same as the cross-sectional area of the entrance end of said second conical passageway, said second conical passageway having a substantially uniform cross-sectional area throughout its length, the large end of said rotor being arcuately annular shaped inwardly of the substantial conical shape to permit a smooth transitional flow from said first conical passageway to said annular passage, and propelling means on said rotor.

2. In a fluid propelling device, a separable housing having a hollow interior which expands to a substantial diameter near the center from that of aligned intake and outlet openings at the opposite ends which are disposed on the housing axis, a substantially conical rotor within the inlet end of said housing, a substantially conical stator within the outlet end of said housing, the rotor and stator defining with the housing inlet and outlet, a first and second conic-a1 passageway, respectively, the large ends of said rotor and stator facing each other on the greater interior diameter of said housing, means for fixedly supporting said stator within said housing, means for supporting said rotor for rotation within said housing, an annular passage extending substantially parallel to the housing axis, adapted to deliver fluid from said said first to said second conical passageway, said annular passage decreasing in cross-sectional area from its entrance to its exit end and being substantially the same cross-sectional area at its entrance as the cross-sectional area at the exit end of said first conical passageway, the cross-sectional area of said annular passage at its exit end being substantially the same as the cross-sectional area of the entrance end of said second conical passageway, said second conical passageway having a substantially uniform cross-sectional area throughout its length, the large end of said rotor being arcuately shaped inwardly of the substantial conical shape to permit a smooth transitional flow from said first conical passageway to said annular passage, propelling means on said rotor, said stator having a portion adjacent to the large end arcuately shaped inwardly of the substantially conical shape to permit the fluid from the rotor to flow smoothly thereover into said substantially conical passageway of the stator.

3. In a fluid propelling device, a separable housing having a hollow interior which expands to a substantial diameter near the center from that of aligned intake and outlet openings at the opposite ends which are disposed on the housing axis, a substantially conical rotor within the inlet end of said housing, a substantially conical stator within the outlet end of said housing, the rotor and stator defining with the housing inlet and outlet, a first and second conical passageway, respectively, the large ends of said rotor and stator facing each other on the greater initerior diameter of said housing, means for fixedly supporting said stator within said housing, means for supporting said rotor for rotation within said housing, an annular passage extending substantially parallel to the housing axis, adapted to deliver fluid from said first to said second conical passageway, said annular passage decreasing in crosssectional area from its entrance to its exit and being substantially the same cross-sectional area at its entrance as the cross-sectional area at the exit end of said first conical passageway, the cross-sectional area of said annular passage at its exit end being substantially the same as the cross-sectional area of the entrance end of said second conical passageway, said second conical passageway having a substantially uniform cross-sectional area throughout its length, the large end of said rotor being arcuately shaped inwardly of the substantial conical shape to permit a smooth transitional flow from said first conical passageway to said annular passage, propelling means on said rotor, said stator having a portion adjacent to the large end arcuately shaped inwardly of the substantially conical shape to permit the fluid from the rotor to flow smoothly thereover into said substantially conical passageway of the stator, propelling vanes on said rotor, and straightenmg vanes on said stator.

4. A fluid propelling device, a separable housing having a hollow interior which expands to a substantial diameter neanthe center from that of aligned intake and outlet openings at the opposite ends which are disposed on the housing axis, a substantially conical rotor within the inlet end of said housing, a substantially conical stator within the outlet end of said housing, the rotor and stator definlngwith the housing inlet and outlet, a first and second conical passageway, respectively, the large ends of said rotor and stator facing each other on the greater interior diameter of said housing, means for fixedly supporting said stator within said housing, means for supporting said rotor for rotation within said housing, an annular passage extending substantially parallel to the housing axis, adapted to deliver fluid from said first to said second conical passageway, said annular passage decreasing in cross-sectional area from its entrance to its exit end and being substantially the same cross-sectional area at its entrance as the cross-sectional area at the exit end of said first conical passageway, the cross-sectional area of said annular passage at its exit end being substantially the same as the cross-sectional area of the entrance end of said second conical passageway, :said second conical passageway havmg a substantially uniform cross-sectional area throughout its length, the large end of said rotor and stator being arcuately shaped inwardly of the substantial conical shape to permit a smooth transitional flow of fluid from said first conical passageway to said annular passage and from said annular passage .to said second conical passageway, propelling means for said rotor, the area of the outlet opening of the housing being smaller than the area of the inlet opening thereof.

5. A fluid propelling device, separable housing having a hollow interior which expands to a substantial diameter near the center from that of aligned intake and outlet openings at the opposite ends which are disposed on the housing axis, a substantially conical rotor within the inlet end of said housing, a substantially conical stator within the outlet end of said housing, the rotor and stator defining with the housing inlet and outlet, a first and second conical passageway, respectively, the large ends of said rotor and stator facing each other on the greater interior diameter of said housing, means for fixedly supporting said stator within said housing, means for supporting said rotor for rotation within said housing, an annular passage extending substantially parallel to the housing axis, adapted to deliver fluid from said first to said second conical passageway, said annular passage decreasing in cross-sectional area from its entrance to its exit end and being substantially the same cross-sectional area at its entrance as the cross-sectional area at the exit end of said first conical passageway, the cross-sectional area of said annular passage at its exit being substantially the same as the cross-sectional area of the entrance end of said second conical passageway, said second conical passageway having a substantially uniform cross-sectional area throughout its length, the large end of said rotor and stator being arcuately shaped inwardly of the substantial conical shape to permit a smooth transitional flow of fluid from said first conical passageway to said annular passage and from said annular passage to said second conical passageway, propelling means on said rotor, the inlet opening of the housing having an outwardly expanding mouth, and a bearing on a spider supported on the outwardly expanded portion of said mouth.

6. In a fluid propelling device, an operable housing having a hollow interior which expands to a substantial diameter near the center from that of aligned intake and outlet openings at the opposite ends which are disposed on the housing axis, a substantially conical rotor within the inlet end of said housing, stator means having a substantailly conical portion disposed within the outlet end of said housing, said rotor and conical portion of said stator defining with the housing inlet and outlet a first and second conical passageway, respectively, means for fixedly supporting said stator within said housing, means for supporting said rotor for rotary movement within said housing, an annular passage extending substantially parallel to the housing axis formed between said stator means and said housing center and adapted to deliver fluid from said first to said second conical passageways, said annular passage decreasing in cross-sectional area from its entrance to its exit end and having substantially the same cross-sectional area at its entrance end as the crosssectional area of the exit end of said first conical passageway, the cross-sectional area of said annular passage at its exit end being substantially the same as the cross-sec tional area at the entrance end of said second conical passageway, said second conical passageway having a substantially uniform cross-sectional area throughout its length, the large end of said rotor being arcuately shaped inwardly of the substantial conical shape to permit a smooth transitional flow from said first conical passageway to said annular passage, and propelling means on said rotor.

7. In a fluid propelling device, an operable housing having a hollow interior which expands to a substantial diameter near the center from that of aligned intake and outlet openings at the opposite ends which are disposed on the housing axis, a substantially conical rotor within the inlet end of said housing, stator means having a substantially conical portion disposed within the outlet end of said housing, said rotor and conical portion of said stator defining with the housing inlet and outlet at first and second conical passageway, respectively, means for fixedly supporting said stator within said housing, means for supporting said rotor for rotary movement within said housing, an annular passage extending substantially parallel to the housing axis formed between said stator means and said housing center and adapted to deliver fluid from said first to said second conical pasageways, said annular passage decreasing in cross-sectional area from its entrance to its exit end and having substantially the same crosssectional area at its entrance end as the cross-sectional area of the exit end of said first conical passageway, the cross-sectional area of said annular passage at its exit end being substantially the same as the cross-sectional area at the entrance end of said second conical passageway, said second conical passageway having a substantially uniform cross-sectional area throughout its length, the large end of said rotor being arcuately shaped inwardly of the substantially conical shape to permit a smooth transitional flow from said first conical passageway to said annular passage, and propelling means on said rotor, said stator means being formed arcuately in- 9 wardly adjacent the large end thereof to provide a smooth transitional flow of fluid from said annular passage to said second conical passageway.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,199,374 9/1926 Hagen 230-420 3,112,610 12/1963 Ierger 103-94 10 FOREIGN PATENTS 128,604 8/ 1948 Australia. 512,824 11/ 1948 Canada.

214 12/ 1909 Great Britain.

SAMUEL LEVINE, Primary Examiner.

HENRY F. RADUAZO, Examiner.

DONLEY J. STOCKING, Assistant Examiner. 

1. IN A FLUID PROPELLING DEVICE, A SEPARABLE HOUSING HAVING A HOLLOW INTERIOR WHICH EXPANDS TO A SUBSTANTIAL DIAMETER NEAR THE CENTER FROM THAT OF ALIGNED INTAKE AND OUTLET OPENINGS AT THE OPPOSITE ENDS WHICH ARE DISPOSED ON THE HOUSING AXIS, A SUBSTANTIALLY CONICAL ROTOR WITHIN THE INLET END OF SAID HOUSING, A SUBSTANTIALLY CONICAL STATOR WITHIN THE OUTLET END OF SAID HOUSING, THE ROTOR AND STATOR DEFINING WITH THE HOUSING INLET AND OUTLET, A FIRST AND SECOND CONICAL PASSAGEWAY, RESPECTIVELY, THE LARGE ENDS OF SAID ROTOR AND STATOR FACING EACH OTHER ON THE GREATER INTERIOR DIAMETER OF SAID HOUSING, MEANS FOR FIXEDLY SUPPORTING SAID STATOR WITHIN SAID HOUSING, MEANS FOR SUPPORTING SAID ROTOR FOR ROTATION WITHIN SAID HOUSING, AN ANNULAR PASSAGE EXTENDING SUBSTANTIALLY PARALLEL TO THE HOUSING AXIS, ADAPTED TO DELIVER FLUID FROM SAID FIRST TO SAID SECOND CONICAL PASSAGEWAY, SAID ANNULAR PASSAGE DECREASING IN CROSSSECTIONAL AREA FROM ITS ENTRANCE TO ITS EXIT END AND BEING SUBSTANTIALLY THE SAME CROSS-SECTIONAL ARE AT ITS ENTRANCE AS THE CROSS-SECTIONAL AREA AT THE EXIT END OF SAID FIRST CONI- 